Water and Depression, Stress and Anxiety

Stress, depression and anxiety are three very different conditions. However, many people experience a combination of these three. Sometimes the stress can lead to the other two, for example. There are many things that can be done to heal these emotionally tolling conditions, including removing stressors from our lives, taking medications, resting, exercising, meditation, yoga and more. However, did you know that water can also help?

The three of these disorders are mood disorders, perhaps stemming from the brain. Studies link depression to dehydration because 85% of brain tissue is water. Dehydration causes energy generation in the brain to decrease. So, lack of water can be the culprit in any of these disorders really. However, like in many other medical areas, contaminated water can also cause health problems. It is a known that lead in water can cause damage to nervous systems, with depression being one of the most common results of lead-filled water. A reverse osmosis filter is one the best ways to ensure that you are drinking safe water. Now, let's move on to more ways water can help us.

There are several types of anxiety disorders, the most common being general anxiety disorder (GAD). Beverages with caffeine can increase anxiety. Replacing soda, tea and coffee with water is a good place to start. It is important to limit the consumption of caffeine, sugary drinks and alcohol. All of these liquids cause dehydration because it takes the body even more water to remove it from your body. Depending on the drink it can take your body up to 3 times the amount of water to process that drink. For example if you drink 12oz of beer it will take your body 36 ounces of water to flush out that beer. If you don’t give your body the amount of water it needs it will take it from your bones, muscles, and most importantly your brain.

Some studies show that water is a great “anxiety quencher”. When the body is dehydrated, in can actually induce anxiety and nervousness. When we are dehydrated our cells feel it at the molecular level and communicate this to the subconscious as an underline subtle anxiety or threat to survival. The key to rebalance this deficit of fluids is to drink eight glasses of fresh water a day. Water alone may not cure GAD and other related disorders, but it can sure calm those nerves! As a side note, there are many herbal supplements, such as PureCalm, that can be added to water to calm nerves as well.